A Warrior's Fairy Tale
by writer168
Summary: War between the Kingdom of Fire and the Kingdom of Sound had never been more fierce. Sakura spends her days in underground fights with her best friend Naruto and her honorary brother Hidan. But when those two are conscripted into the ANBU Army, she takes charge and follows after them. They aren't dying in the war on her watch. Non-canon. AU. (BEING EDITED AS OF AUGUST 8, 2016)
1. Red Hood

**EDITED: AUGUST 8, 2016**

::

Once upon a time in the dead of night, a red-cloaked figure slunk through the shadows in uptown Konoha.

All nobility and high ranking soldiers lived there, never daring to step foot downtown where the common people lived. Their children were told stories of how those people were held to a lower standard, therefore wouldn't have the capacity to understand what it mean to be of a higher class.

The figure surveyed the quiet area before leaping onto the roof of the main house in the Hyuuga Compound. Quickly, silently, undetectably.

'_Honestly, they need better guards. This is getting ridiculous.'_

The Hyuuga were one of the Four Corner families that resided uptown alongside the Nara, the Akimichi, and the Uchiha. The Four Corners had a responsibility to their Emperor, as an ancestor of each family was entrusted with two precious stones bestowed upon them by Grand First Emperor Hashirama. As long as the stones remained under protection in each families homes, power was balanced and peace was shared through Konoha- the largest populated city in the Kingdom of Fire.

The Byakugan Sapphire and the Daikaiten Alexandrite were kept in shrines in the highest floor in the tallest structure of the Hyuuga Compound. A shrine, one might add, that was fairly easy to get through since the guards were so incredibly incompetent.

The figure reached out to the Byakugan, a small smile tugging at their lips.

Nobles really needed to learn to share their riches.

::

A girl eighteen years of age stood in the middle of an arena with cuts and bruises littering her legs and forearms. Blood splattered hands were held up in front of her to block more strikes and it luckily didn't belong to her, but rather her opponent's- The Hunter. The crowd screamed their cheers and all bets were called.

"Kick his ass!"

"Come on, knock her down! Break her bones!"

"Crack his skull in two!"

The underground fighting rings were always brutal and crude and that was just the way the people liked it. Konoha might be perceived as the more peaceful of cities in the Kingdom, but that applied more to the nobles who never stuck their noses in the common people's business. The people were angry with the way they were being treated. They were angry that those with money wouldn't do a single damn thing for them even if the people were the ones working to keep the city on its feet.

So came the outlet of underground fighting. A wonderful stress reliever and rage output.

The girl dodged a blow aimed to her head and whammed a knee into The Hunter's gut. Taking advantage of his stunned state, she crouched on the ground and sent a roundhouse kick to the back of his knees. Her elbow dug into his chest as he fell forward and she pinned him to the ground.

"Winner: The Slugger!"

Haruno Sakura, better known through her alias as The Slugger, undid her ponytail and launched a victorious fist pump amidst the noise of the audience. She helped The Hunter up to his feet.

"Better luck next time, eh, Haku?" she teased. He smirked.

"Luck had nothing to do with it. You will go down next fight and perhaps I'll strangle you unconscious with your hair."

They both laughed and hopped out of the ring. When Haku waved and went on his way, Sakura climbed the stone steps of the stadium and sat on one of the benches next to her best friend, Uzumaki Naruto, who fought under the name _Kyuubi_. He was infamous for his unending stamina and animalistic vigor- some of his more fearful opponents swearing to the heavens above that his eyes flashed red before he dove in for the kill.

"Awesome fight, Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed. "You totally just tripled my betting money, dattebayo!"

"Oh, so I'm just your source of income now, huh?"

He grinned.

"Aw, you know I love you!"

She punched him in the shoulder, laughing when he pouted and slumped back against the rock seats behind him. In the arena ahead of them, new fighters were warming up for their match. Sakura recognized the man at the north end and shouted.

"You better not lose your shit this time, Jashin!"

Hidan, upon hearing his title, looked up to the stands and flipped up his middle finger before stepping into the ring. He was her mentor's only son and was as vulgar as they came, but he was good to both her and Naruto when they were taken into his mother's care when they were only kids. He was like a big brother to them. An annoying one, but still better than most.

"I'm gonna miss this, ya know," Naruto muttered. "Underground fighting. The city. Pulling pranks on Hidan. Hanging out with you, Sakura-chan. You heard they were shuttin' down the underground next week, right? Until the war's over?"

Sakura looked down.

"Yeah."

That's right. Naruto and Hidan had been conscripted into the ANBU Army and would leave for one of the camps tonight. The war between the Kingdom of Fire and the Kingdom of Sound was engulfing the lands far and low and they needed all the soldiers they could get their hands on.

She clenched her fists.

If she wasn't a girl, she'd follow them into ANBU and fight alongside them. She'd wield a sword and cut down the enemies one by one and bring her boys home safe and sound.

Sakura stood and stretched her legs.

"I'm going to head up and get a drink. You want anything?" she asked.

"Uh… something sweet. Thanks, Sakura-chan!"

She climbed the long staircase leading out of the underground and pushed the iron door that acted as one of the many entrances to the world below. But up above, this was a local bar that went by the dear name Samehada. She sat down on one of the wooden stools and sighed.

"What's got you down? Lose a fight?"

She raised her head and stared at the scarred face and sharpened teeth of the owner of the bar.

"No, I won. It's just… you heard about Naruto and Hidan right, Kisame-san?"

Kisame was a veteran of past wars and stayed the close friend and drinking partner of her mentor. When she and Naruto were still street rats, he was kind enough to offer them some food and eventually helped them get to where they were today. She owed a lot to him.

"'Course I have. It's gonna be quiet and who knows how long it's going to be 'til they get back," he said, not mentioning the fact that they might not even get to come back at all. "There's nothing we can do about it. Emperor's called them up and they have no choice but to follow."

She sighed.

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, I just remembered I've got a couple errands to run. Can you send someone down to tell Naruto that I'll be gone for a while? Oh, and to get him something sweet to snack on?"

He waved her out and tossed her black cloak her stored beneath the counter.

"Will do. See you in a bit, kiddo."

She slipped on her cloak as she stepped out into the streets of downtown. There, she passed vendors and merchants and civilians, then took a quick cut down some alleyways until she arrived at Blue and Steel, a weapons shop run by an exceptional blacksmith who was merely frowned upon because the business was run by not a he, but a she.

"Sakura! How've you been?" the blacksmith greeted. Sakura returns it with a smile.

"Hey, Tenten. Do you have the things I requested?" she asked. The shop has weapons of all kinds could been seen to potential customers. Swords and maces hang from the ceiling, blades and fans are on display in glass cases slightly smudged with soot, and armor pieces are lined up on walls and racks. Tenten side steps her anvil on her way to the back and comes out with a katana, a dagger, and an ANBU-class uniform fit in Sakura's size.

"You're lucky the Army picked me as one of the suppliers, so I was able to get my hands on these," Tenten said. She eyed her friend warily. "Are you sure you know what you're doing? If they find out, you'll be killed even if you are on our side."

Sakura handed her a handful of gold pieces she won off some random gambler that thought he could swindle her out of her money.

"Don't worry about it. You and I both know that this kind of thing isn't exactly new."

They shared a grin and Tenten bundled all the items in an inconspicuous sack that could easily pass as a regular old back. And along with the armor and weapons, she slipped in a velvet pouch.

Sakura left the shop with her new things slung across her shoulder and walked a few minutes away to the Aburame Library. It was public and had books that spanned throughout the ages and she found the ones written in different languages more interesting than the others.

She approached the librarian.

"Good morning, Shino. Cooped up as always, I see."

The boy, eighteen years old just like herself, peered up at her through his dark glasses.

"I found a new bug specimen that only comes out at night, so I am waiting until then. Are you here to borrow a book? A new shipment came in last night," he said.

"I would, but I'm a little busy. I do have a book I want to return, though."

She set her bag on the desk and slid over the velvet pouch Tenten sent her off with. Silently, Shino pulled out the item from its cloth confines and saw a stone the size of his palm. White Star Sapphire- rare enough to find but even rarer to hold such a large specimen of it in his hands. It had been the cause of alarm and tightening of security uptown as of late as the Hyuuga sought to recover their missing gem.

"Do the pages have any damages?"

"I don't think so."

"Hm. I'll check it again later."

"Alright. Thanks for telling me about it. It's an exciting read and I hope you can lend it to," she said. As she walked out of the library, his quiet voice echoed after her.

"Sakura, not everything is worth dying for. I hope you remember that."

She opened the door and threw a smile over her shoulder.

"Take care of yourself. I know it'll be a while before I'll be seeing you again."

Before entering her mentor's workplace, she stashed her gear under a bale of hay in Katsuyu's- her horse's- stable and went through the back door of the clinic beside the house she lived in. Various herbs were strewn about the tables and stacked on the shelves that lined the walls. Working on what she assumed was a remedy was her mentor, Tsunade. She was one of the top physicians in the nation who'd earned her legendary status through the wars she worked in despite her gender and the no-nonsense attitude she carried no matter who she addressed.

Watching her work was the Grand Marshal of the ANBU Army, Sakura recognized through his highly decorated uniform. He was born a commoner and took years and years to make his way up to where he was now. Often, he'd come to the clinic to ask Tsunade of her opinion on some things or to request medicine for his soldiers. She was undoubtedly the best healer there was and his troops deserved as much.

Kakuzu looked over towards the back door and noted that Sakura, once again, was not wearing a kimono or practicing etiquette like all the other girls her age. Once she girl hung her cloak, he saw the dirt and blood smeared on her skin.

"Our fighting again, eh?" Tsunade hummed. "I remember when I was your age and I kicked everyone's asses who wanted to fight."

"So you admit it was your influence that got me into this?"

"Bah! If it's anyone's influence it's Hidan's and Naruto's! If you hung around more of the girls in the city, maybe I'll be able to make a lady out of you yet!"

"Sorry, shishou. But if I'm not in the underground to defend my reputation, who else is going to live up to my name?" she questioned. Kakuzu's lips quirked upwards.

"If the Army had men who want to fight as much as you do, maybe we'd win the war sooner," he commented.

"Well, I'm one in a million, Grand Marshal. But maybe luck will be on your side and someone like me will be on the front lines," she grinned.

"Hm. I really hope to meet him, then," he mused. Kakuzu remembered when he first met her as a young girl. Her along with the blonde boy were skin and bones and took to the life of pick pocketing to survive and were lucky enough to get hot meals from the bartender down the way. But he really couldn't forget the picture they painted when he saw them stood at the clinic with Tsunade moving about to tend to their wounds.

Naruto was a sad boy, demure and aware that a lot of people hated him. Sakura was the opposite, snapping at those who dared hurt her best friend and fighting whoever got in her way.

"Now that you're here, I need you to gather herbs from the forest," Tsunade said as she reached into the hidden pocket of her haori to pull out a piece of parchment. "Better back by sundown."

"Yes, shishou."

Kakuzu watched her go with a curious eye.

::

As night fell over the city, the normally barren streets were filled with women, children, tears, and men suiting up for a war they might never come back from. Sakura was among them and didn't shed a tear as the two boys she grew up with strapped on their armor and slung their swords at their waists.

"Maybe being soldiers will probably shape up your attitudes," she mentioned. Hidan scoffed and lightly cuffed the back of her head.

"What attitude? I'm fucking amazing," he drawled.

Naruto wrinkled his nose.

"The only thing amazing about you is how you can stuff ten cuss words in a twelve word sentence and still sound threatening."

"Exactly!"

Naruto came up and tackled her into a hug first, hoisting her into the air and spinning her around for a dramatic flair.

"I'm gonna miss you so much, Sakura-chan! I'll write to you all the time I promise, 'ttebayo!"

"Good. Maybe I'll find a way to send ramen through the messenger," she laughed as he set her down. Hidan gagged.

"Don't encourage his gross-ass ramen fixation."

Sakura rolled her eyes and tugged the dirty-mouthed asshole in for a hug.

"Just don't do anything stupid," she whispered. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed.

"Me?" he murmured. "I should be telling you that shit."

When he pulled away, she stepped aside and let Tsunade give her goodbye to the two boys she raised all on her own. Occupied, Sakura reached behind to the waistband of her pants and gripped the paper Hidan snuck there.

The location of where he hid her fake documentation and which camp he and Naruto had been assigned to.

Sakura waited hours into the night. Long after the men were gone, long after the city fell into a fitful sleep, long after the lights on the streets had been snuffed out. Quiet was her only companion when she slipped out of her bed, dressed in some of Naruto's old clothes, and trailed down to the stables. As she crouched down to reach for her armor and katana, her long pink hair brushed past her shoulders and landed in her field of vision.

Oh.

She'd almost forgotten.

After she slid the sword from its scabbard, she bundled up her hair and sliced it all off within a few swipes.

"Tenten really went all out when sharpening this for me…" she muttered.

"I imagine she would," a voice spoke up from behind her. "No one wants to ruin their reputation as a blacksmith by selling less than perfect blades."

Sakura grit her teeth, steeling her nerves as she turned and forced a smile on her face.

"Grand Marshal. I thought you'd be out to check up on the camps."

"I had a meeting with the Emperor that drew on longer than I expected," he shrugged. Kakuzu's piercing eyes went to the katana in her hands, the ANBU issued armor on the hay stacks, then to the tresses trapped in a white-knuckle grip. "And here I come to see… something I could arrest you for."

Her gaze hardened.

"I'm not just going to sit here and wait, wondering if they're going to come back with smiles or come back a cold body. I was born to fight by their sides!"

"Their duty is to their country."

"Their duty is to their lives!" she refuted. Her eyes flickered to her house before lowering her voice. "No one asked for this war and the people shouldn't be sent off to die just because they're the victims. And you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to go out there and fight and come back _only _when the war's over with both of them breathing when they step into the city. I don't care how long it takes."

Sakura didn't budge when Kakuzu took his steps forward so that they stood toe to toe. She had a face of determination, he thought idly, who would stand in the Grand Marshal's shadows without fear.

"You're walking into death's hands."

"Then I'll die knowing I did what was right."

He thrust a scroll into her empty hand.

"Earlier, you told me you were one in a million and that I'd be lucky to have someone like you on the front lines," he said. "I told you that I wanted to meet him. And it seems that I have."

He spun on his heel and held his dark-skinned hands behind his back.

"The Akatsuki Camp is a day's ride East," he informed without turning to look back at her. "I'm not a man known to gamble, Sakura. Don't make me regret it the one time I do."

She grinned and let her cut hair spill to the ground.

"Yessir!"

::

General Uchiha Itachi was young, strong, and was infamous for becoming the youngest soldier to have ever reached his position. At the age of twenty-three, his notoriety had spread past forests and mountains to strike fear in the hearts of those who heard his name. With such an unmatched repute, it was only natural for him to be selected to train the noble and hand-picked commoners throughout the Kingdom of Fire.

He requested the most physically able of troops. The smartest. The most skilled.

But at the sound of shouts echoing somewhere in the center of the camp of one hundred soldiers, Itachi found that request horribly denied.

He strode down the grass path towards the source of the uproar, Lieutenant General Akasuna Sasori following with amusement coloring his half-lidded stare, to find the recruits crowded around what looked like a fight. Sasori smirked. Fools, they were. Did they not realize this was a war and that there was a real chance of them having their dog tags they only thing they'd ever be remembered by? But it was good to see them have spirit while it lasted.

Itachi wasn't as entertained.

"At attention!" he snapped. The crowd scrambled to form a straight line as chills went up their spines and a domineering aura fell upon their shoulders. The last two to join the line had their soldier outfits dirtier and rumpled with some drops of blood to stain the material. The first fighter he recognized as his own younger brother.

"Uchiha Sasuke. I am disappointed to see that you've already come to treat this as a game. I expected more from someone who claims to be better than an average soldier."

Sasuke scowled and looked away. Itachi turned to regard the other fighter, eyeing the green diamond on his forehead and finding that he couldn't identify him.

"Name and origin," he demanded smoothly. The recruit looked him straight in the eye without fear, a shameless smile on his face.

"Haruno Seiichi, Konoha. Sir," the recruit introduced. Sasori couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

_Oh? Not bad._

::

**Ranks in this Story (Highest to Lowest)**

**1) Grand Marshal**

**2) General**

**3) Lieutenant General**

**4) Colonel**

**5) Lieutenant Colonel**

**6) Captain**

**7) First Lieutenant**

**8) Second Lieutenant**

**9) Sergeant**

**10) Corporal**

**11) Lance Corporal**

**12) Private First Class**

**13) Private**


	2. Ninety Push Ups

**EDITED: AUGUST 17, 2016**

::

Itachi coolly regarded the young soldier that stood straight-backed and cheerful. Ridiculous. Picking a fight on the first day and now looking at his commanding General without a single shed of remorse? Did he not know just who he was dealing with?

Seiichi kept smiling.

Itachi would not stand for such insolence.

"The rest of you- three laps around the campsite. Now," he ordered. The ninety-eight men scurried to the nearest entrance. "Uchiha. Haruno. Go into the canteen and tell the cook to give you each a sack of rice. You will run four laps while carrying the sack on your shoulders. You will not stop for breath. You will not walk. You will _run_. Dismissed."

"Yessir," Sasuke grit out. He turned on his heel and hurried to the largest tent the camp had to offer. The other recruit was not that much in a hurry and quietly observed the man stood before him.

"Yes, General."

Itachi narrowed his eyes before walking away to resume to his duties. Sasori, though, stayed and chuckled at the careless soldier.

"You better shape up that attitude, boy. It's interesting to see the General riled up, but he's your commanding officer. It would be in your right mind to respect him and have at least an inkling of fear for what he's known for."

Seiichi rolled his shoulders.

"Respect is earned, Lieutenant," he grinned. "And I fear no man. If you'll excuse me, I have some laps to run. Have a good rest of the day, sir."

Mildly amused, Sasori watched the boy run into the canteen and come out with the sack slung over one shoulder. The boy would be definite trouble in the future and would be the cause of some headaches for their General, but maybe this would be a good thing. For once, life at the battle camp wouldn't be so dreary.

::

Seiichi was able to catch up with the rest of the group even with the weight of the rice. Carrying it was nothing new to him. As a child, his mentor would make him haul boxes loaded with medicine through the city day in and day out until she was satisfied he would be getting a good workout in his day. It was only until he started fighting in the underground that his mentor started laying off the heavy boxes.

She just made him train with Kisame instead.

"You fucking shit! I can't believe you beat up that smug-ass before I did!"

Seiichi turned his head as Hidan ran up beside him. He wasn't the only one roped into training with Kisame. If he was doing it, it only made sense that his mentor's son would be too.

"Problem?"

"Yeah, problem! Fucking hell, _Slugger_, why'd you always gotta ruin my fun?!" he whined. 'Seiichi' reached out and clocked him in the shoulder.

"Yeah, scream my name out so soldiers from Konoha know who I am!" Sakura hissed. She adjusted the rice slung across her shoulder and kept pace. "Do you want me to get executed because you can't shut your damn mouth?!"

"What the hell is wrong with you two?!" a new voice shouted from behind them. Both Hidan and Sakura looked over their shoulders to see Naruto quickly gaining on them. The rest of the troops could be seen getting smaller and smaller in the distance, eventually disappearing when the three of them turned a corner. Naruto showed his incredulity in a much quieter, but still angry tone. "Why's Sakura-chan here?!"

She glared at Hidan.

"Now he knows!"

"Oh, like he wasn't going to figure it out anyways? He'd take one look at your face and scream your real name out loud so the whole damn camp would hear! Your forehead's not exactly inconspicuous, you know!"

Sakura's cheeks pinkened. For every person who study under masters of the healing arts were required to wear diamonds on their foreheads to signify their ability. Red meant novice, blue meant intermediary, green meant expert, and purple meant ultimate mastery, them being applied to the skin using a body paint that lasted weeks. She must've been so caught up in creating her plan to join ANBU that she'd forgotten to remove her diamond before entering the camp.

"You guys didn't answer my question! Sakura-chan, you…"

"I was never going to let you guys fight alone in a war you never wanted to be in. The Grand Marshal let me-"

"Hold up, Kakuzu?!" Hidan interrupted. The three of them turned another corner. "You tellin' me that bastard let you come here?"

"-let me finish you ass! So the Grand Marshal saw me leaving and told me not to mess up. Basically. So now I'm here and my name's Haruno Seiichi so please start calling me that, okay?"

Naruto frowned. He loved Sakura to bits and the last thing he ever wanted was for her to get hurt (underground fighting doesn't count) and being smack in the middle of the war wasn't helping his case.

But… this was Sakura. She was smart enough to know what she was doing.

"Fine, Sa-Seiichi," he grumbled. "But hey! At least you don't have any boobs so you won't have any trouble hiding them!"

Hidan's laughter rang out through the camp and the forests that surrounded them as Sakura stuck out her foot and sent her best friend tumbling to the ground, her face an embarrassed red.

::

"That Seiichi is quite interesting, isn't he? I don't know if he's brave or suicidal, but either way, he managed to spark some anger," Sasori commented. He and the General sat inside the empty canteen with the tent flaps pulled wide open so they could see the camp entrance from inside. One or two soldiers passed to get a start on their second lap, but a blur of blonde, pink, and silver streaked passed the stragglers to signal the start of their third.

Itachi watched the trio go with narrowed eyes.

"He will be a problem, but it's nothing to worry about this far. Obedience and respect are key factors in the Army. Haruno will learn that well," he said, raising a cup of tea to his lips. The Lieutenant tilted his head.

"Maybe not this time."

"How so?"

"Haruno is far from stupid and we both know that for a fact because of the Medic's Seal on his forehead. Green. _An expert._ And you saw him and the other two commoners from Konoha, Uzumaki and Senju. They're the most physically fit in this camp," Sasori said as he pointed out the tent. "You saw them lap everyone else as clearly as I did. They're _good._ We can't afford to lose men like them."

Itachi hid his grimace. Uzumaki and Senju finished their third lap and re-entered the camp as Haruno launched into his fourth and final one, the sack of rice appearing to not hinder him the the slightest.

"We will see if their weapon mastery is as adept as their bodies," the General said. "I have not heard of commoners learning to use bows and blades if they are not already in ANBU."

Sasori held in his tongue and settled for a nod. The entire camp was a kilometer in perimeter and if a man was able to run that three or four times around to come out only with a sheen of sweat and a slight lack of air, chances were they were more than they let on.

Itachi was simply in denial. And once he learned that those three commoners were truly indispensable, then he'd have to learn how to deal with characters like those.

It wasn't long until Haruno came back round again and passed their table to hand the rice back to the chef.

He made no inclination of acknowledging his superiors.

::

"Sasuke, right?"

Sasuke looked up from his meal to meet the bright green gaze of the insufferable person who dared to pick a fight with him earlier. And all because he said commoners should learn to mind their mouths.

"_Yeah? Learn to mind my fist, asshole!"_

"What's it to you?" he sneered. Sakura raised placed her tray of food in the seat across from him, to which his frown deepened, and lowered down onto the wooden bench with a sigh.

"Here we go again with that haughty attitude. All I came here to do was apologize for that black eye but now I'll just say that it goes wonderfully with your complexion, your royal paleness," she quipped. Charcoal black eyes narrowed at her. More confusion than anger, she would've noticed if she wasn't paying attention to her food.

"Don't you know who I am?"

"Uchiha Sasuke. Second son of Lord Fugaku. Don't worry, you nobles make sure everyone knows who you are," she answered. So Haruno was aware, Sasuke thought.

"Then why are you speaking to me in such a way?"

"What? Because you live uptown you think I'm going to treat you differently than everyone else? Reality check, Sasuke. The world doesn't exactly _revolve_ around you."

He blinked at her in surprise as two others came up and took the empty seats beside her.

"Oh! The guy Sei-chan beat up earlier!" the blonde one exclaimed. "Hi! Uzumaki Naruto's the name, dattebayo!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed even further. Another one who didn't care for status. The third one who came along was noticeably taller than the other two and plopped down into the seat with a grunt.

"Senju Hidan. Keep makin' that fuckin' face, it's gonna stay that way. Not that it's any different than how you normally look," he greeted. Sasuke barely stopped himself from twitching. Not only was this one just as rude as Haruno and Uzumaki, but he used such indecent language as well! What- was he raised an animal?

"Hey, Sasuke. You don't mind if we take a seat here, do you?" a voice came from the left. The dark-haired noble turned his head gratefully, finally in the company of people who'd been raised with manners.

"Shikamaru, Chouji, Tobi," he acknowledged. "Go ahead."

Sakura took a bite of her food as she looked at the newcomers. Shikamaru was the son of Lord Shikaku and well-known for shirking his duties. The Nara were in charge of keeping the Kage Opal and Rikumaru Jadeite from harm's reach and had doubled their guard ever since the Byakugan had been taken. Beside him was Chouji, son of Lord Chouza. Like all Akimichi, he was soft-spoken and polite and probably only went on to serve this war on his moral obligation to the Emperor. Their family had taken the Chou Musgravite and Aki Painite into hiding somewhere in the bowels of the village. Where? She didn't know.

Yet.

"Haruno, right?"

Sakura raised her eyes to the last person who joined the group. Tobi, son of Lord Madara. He also had a place in the Uchiha household and helped arrange the guard over the Sharingan Beryl and the Mangekyou Diamond.

"Yeah."

Tobi grinned.

"I wanted to say that it was really cool how you kicked Sasuke's butt earlier!" he exclaimed. Hidan choked out a laugh through his food and Naruto accidentally snorted into his bowl of soup. "I never saw him lose like that before!"

"Tobi!" Sasuke hissed. The older man waved a hand at him, the eye not covered with an orange eyepatch flashing with glee.

"Come on, cousin. Surely you should know just how bad you were beaten earlier. I mean, Haruno flipped you over his shoulder like a fish!"

Shikamaru pressed the back of his hand against his lips to keep quiet. The Uchiha anomaly at it again. Sakura laughed along with the rest of her friends as Sasuke's face burned as he glowered menacingly at his older cousin. It was amazing that there were four members of a third of the Four Corner Families in the Akatsuki Camp, but she considered herself lucky that Lord Hiashi's nephew, Hyuuga Neji, wasn't with them or she'd be tempted to mock him on how beautiful the Byakugan looked.

Their laughter died down when the General stood at the entrance of the canteen where all the soldiers could see him. Itachi waited for absolute silence and attention before he spoke.

"At sunset, all of you will gather in the center of camp. Arrange yourselves in ten rows and wait for my instruction. Anyone late will be punished."

Sakura snuck a look at Sasuke's face to see pure resentment settling into his features.

::

"This is your first day at Akatsuki Camp, but that is no excuse to delay training. The hundred of you have been handpicked from all over the Kingdom of Fire by the Grand Marshal himself to serve under my command, and so far, none of you have proven yourselves worthy of the opportunity," Itachi said. His eyes scanned over the recruits. "Here, you will show me part of your physical capabilities. You all will give me ninety proper push ups. In unison. If one person is out of synchronization, you will all start over. Am I clear?"

Their call rang through the empty air.

"Yessir!"

"Down."

The entire company dropped to the ground and simultaneously performed a push up.

"One, sir!"

"Down."

"Two, sir!"

"Down."

"Three, sir!"

Sasori watched them with mirth twinkling in his smile. He knew most of them would not even last through fifty of those push-ups. The order was cruel and unusual, and once the weaker ones were weeded out, he knew Itachi was going to rifle through the recruits and create circumstances in which they _wouldn't _succeed on the first try.

Well, he didn't earn his reputation without good reason.

One recruit was slightly slower in his ascent of the twenty-fifth push up and it didn't pass the keen eye of his commanding officer.

"Back to the beginning. Down."

The grimaces weren't lost to the young men. But nonetheless, they had orders to follow.

"One, sir!"

This time, sixteen was reached until they were reset. Eleven, then reset. Eight, then reset. Twelve, then reset. Twenty-one, then reset. Thirteen, then a handful of them had their arms give out. Itachi wasn't sympathetic to a single one of them, merely having them begin from the very beginning.

The process continued for half an hour until the General began to dismiss the ones who could no longer continue the exercise. By the time there were five people left to do push-ups, a small crowd had gathered just a few meters away to watch the scene unfold. Itachi didn't call any orders for a few heartbeats, observing the soldiers thoroughly soaked in sweat, and turned to Sasori.

"Lieutenant."

"Yes, General?"

"Get the coals."

A ripple of murmurs washed over the soldiers who had gathered to watch and slowly began to pity the five left to suffer the consequences of their determination.

Two Uchiha, Senju, Uzumaki, and Haruno.

Sasori emerged from one of the tents with a cauldron of red hot coals in his hands. He divided a pile for each of the soldiers left and set the flaming rocks beneath their abdomens.

"Just because you five have lasted longer than the rest does not mean you will be praised for your efforts," Itachi said. He walked past the bodies holding themselves up and eyed them blankly and stopped beside Naruto whose cheeks had three gash scars each. "Down."

"One, sir!"

"Down."

"Two, sir!"

Itachi moved to the person beside him. Hidan.

"Down."

"Three, sir!"

He lifted his foot and placed it on her broader part of his back, leaning so that half of his weight was on him. His open-palm stance was replaced with fists as he dug his knuckles into the dirt.

"Down."

Hidan dipped and came back up without issue.

"Four, sir!"

The General narrowed his eyes and increased the weight on him.

"Down."

Suddenly, Itachi drove so much force into Hidan's back that the twenty year old nearly had his stomach charred by the coals. He threw himself to the right, avoiding getting burned and landing on his side. Magenta irises stabbed holes into his commander's skull.

"What the fuck?!" he growled.

"Prepare for the unexpected," Itachi informed steadily. "Senju, five laps around the camp for use of inappropriate language towards your General."

"But you just fucking-"

"Ten laps."

"What?! I oughta-"

"_Hidan_," both Naruto and Sakura hissed. One smoldering look of both blue and green had the silver-haired man exhale harshly as he pushed himself to his feet and stalk over to the entrance to begin running. Itachi turned to the four that remained and noted that of all that had yet to fail, his family members looked the closest to it.

The crowd that watched on had grown but had never been more silent.

::

Sasori thought Itachi was being a little too rough on the new recruits. Sure two of them had gotten caught up in a fight, three of them were indispensable, and one had an attitude to curb, but taking the coals out on the first day? _And then intentionally driving one of the best to fail?_ Honestly, his General had pride that wouldn't subdue.

He watched as Itachi weaved through the remaining men and called out his orders at a slow, leisurely pace. Every 'down' had at least a ten second break between them, and once they reached eleven, he started his weeding out.

"Down."

"Twel-"

"Stay. Don't move."

The four had their arms bent and their stomachs and chests dangerously close to the coals. Mere seconds passed before Tobi pushed himself away and rolled onto his back. His arms were shaking and the grass glistened with sweat under the slowly growing moonlight. Itachi dismissed him with the flick of his head and set his undivided attention to the three exhausted messes at his feet.

"How much longer do you think you all will last?" he questioned. Sasori dropped his chin in his palm as he let out a sigh. There he went again. Aiming to make the fresh meat fell like insignificant nothings to, and he quoted, _to show them how prone they can be to failure_. "Your bodies have not acclimated to this form of training, nor will your skin ever be used to the feel of fire. Give up now or be burned. It is your choice."

Sasori suppressed a wince. Harsh.

He saw Hidan pass the entrance for the third time, signaling the start of his fourth lap, before looking back to the unfortunate souls subjected to Itachi's so-called 'lesson'. It wasn't long before Sasuke cursed beneath his breath and dropped his weight onto his knees, head hung low but eyes blazing ahead of him. He met his older brother's cool gaze and was dismissed with a simple jerk of the head. The eighteen year old pushed himself to his feet and strode past the crowd towards his tent.

Two left. Uzumaki and Haruno and they looked like they weren't budging anytime soon.

"It is foolish to persist," Itachi said. "You both know very well that you will not make it through this exercise. You will not win. Everyone else has lost- what makes you think you are any different? You are two men. In battle, you are nothing. Against an army of the enemy, you are worthless. Perseverance will not help you when you are hopeless."

His words were spoken like crushed velvet and seemed to stab Naruto with every insult. The blonde flinched with each taunt of being nothing but insignificant. Sasori knew it must have hit too close to home and sighed once more. Both of them would fail with low spirits and-

"Ninety push-ups, right, General?"

Seiichi raised his head, his pink bangs falling into his eyes. Itachi stepped in front of him.

"I did not give you permission to speak."

"I didn't ask for it. I asked if ninety push-ups is what you wanted."

Sasori sat up straighter. That was the boy he warned for his attitude. No, surely he wouldn't be so stupid to challenge the General like he was doing now. He should go up there now and diffuse the situation before anything was done, but he felt his desire to see the outcome flood his common sense as he watched the scene unfold with a sparkling gaze.

Itachi narrowed his eyes.

"Yes. That was the intended end goal for this exercise, but it is obvious that neither you nor Uzumaki can complete it."

That grin that irked the General to his core resurfaced on the recruit's face.

"Wanna bet?"

Sasori couldn't stop a grin from touching his own lips. How stupid could this boy get?

Itachi used his left hand to point at and dismiss Naruto, who scrambled to sit at the open spot beside Chouji and watch his friend further provoke the last person he should ever upset. He observed worriedly as Hidan lapped the entrance for the fifth time.

"Then perform ninety push-ups if you are so sure of yourself."

And, to everyone's fear and amazement-

-Seiichi did.

::

The boy was insufferable- completely irritating, aggravating, vexatious! How dare he speak out of turn to him, a General, and play him for a fool when he had nothing else to offer but that annoying grin and a spirit that wouldn't think to bow down to those clearly above him?

Itachi contained his inner storm behind his cool facade as he watched Haruno perform perfect push ups with a _smile _despite the sweat that drew a puddle beneath his chin.

At the completion of his ninetieth one, the General clasped his hands behind his back.

"So you had the capability of completing ninety. But," he started. He felt the stares of the other men on him, "you have done so as a result of challenging your commanding officer, speaking out of turn, and expanding on that insubordination. As your punishment, you will remain in this position until dawn."

Naruto had to be held back by a few of the soldiers and his mouth was covered by Shikamaru's instant thinking.

"Failing to do so will result in twenty laps with the bag of rice you have acquainted yourself with earlier."

His eyes swept to the spectators.

"Go to your tents. That is an order. If I find that anyone has helped Haruno, your punishment will be tripled."

The soldiers saluted and hurried to their tents, throwing Seiichi sympathetic glances before clearing out. Naruto was quick to inform Hidan upon his return and look of confusion, and they were satiated when their pink-haired friend gave them assuring wink and urged them to return to their tents.

When they all left, some more reluctant than others, Itachi walked to his tent without sparing another glance at the man who dared defy him. Sasori sauntered over when the General disappeared around the canteen corner and crouched down.

"What did I tell you about that attitude, boy?" he whispered. "The General shows no mercy and look what it's gotten you into. Was it all worth you suffering through the night?"

Seiichi rolled his shoulders as best he could in his equivalent of a shrug.

"Remember what I told you, Lieutenant? Respect is earned. And what he said… well, it was a lie. I couldn't let him get away with that."

Sasori inspected the young man in a new regard and stood.

"Hm. Then I hope you're praying this won't get you killed one day. I'm betting you'll survive the night, boy. If you manage, then you'll really be the new entertainment around here," he said. He walked to his tent leaving Seiichi- _Sakura- _to her thoughts alone.

She would make it through the night. This was nothing compared to what she and Naruto had suffered through when they were street rats. When they were younger, they stole and lived off the streets in the heat and cold. They were starved, sent to the stocks, beaten, disciplined, flogged, and thrown into the cells until Kisame caught wind of it and bailed them out.

She knew what suffering was, and whatever the General was doing wasn't it.

It must have been well into the night when the sound of grass crunching under feet pulled her out her thoughts and back to the reality of her whimpering muscles. Sakura expected to see the polished boots of a high-ranking officer, but saw the training slip ons of a recruit.

A waterskin emblazoned with one of the Four Corner Family symbols entered her vision.

"Drink, Seiichi."

She blinked and looked up.

"S-Sasuke?!"


	3. It Starts

Sasuke glared at her roughly.

"Do you want us both to get in trouble?" he hissed, "Keep your voice down and just drink the water."

Sakura's gaze lingered on him for a few seconds before she accepted the water gratefully. She took a couple hearty gulps before setting her hand down and balancing her weight.

"Thank you." she smiled. He huffed and jogged back to his tent. Another full hour passed until Itachi finally did walk up to Sakura.

"At attention, Haruno."

Sakura slowly got up on her feet. She swayed slightly before coming to attention. Itachi was taken aback at the boy's state. Even if his body was thoroughly beaten and exhausted, the look in his eyes was unwavering and just as it was when he first met him.

"You are dismissed. Mind your mouth,_ Seiichi_, or I will not be as lenient next time."

Too tired to come up with a snide comeback, she saluted and walked off to her tent while rolling her shoulders, aware of the set of pitch black eyes that followed after her.

It had now been a month since the Akatsuki Camp had been occupied. Training got harder everyday and Sakura and Itachi were at each other's throats constantly, but it had become part of the daily routine. No one ever had the suspicion of having a girl in their midst. Everything was normal. That is... until one night, a loud, horrid cry echoed through air.

The following morning, all the soldiers looked as if they were dead due to the arrow dodging exercise the day before. They were instructed to dodge the projectiles while waist deep in a river about a mile away from camp. Unfortunately for them, they were right beside a waterfall where all of them eventually took a ride down.

They walked slowly towards the mess hall for breakfast and eased onto the benches at the tables. Sakura laughed when she sat down at the table.

"What's wrong with you three? You look like hell." she commented.

"I feel like a horse ran over me." Chouji groaned. Shikamaru couldn't agree more as he picked up his chopsticks. He couldn't pick up his rice, as his hand kept on shaking and he couldn't get a good grip. He finally settled on setting the chopsticks down and conceding defeat.

"I can't wait until training later!" Tobi exclaimed, earning exasperated stares, "It was really hard yesterday and I just can't wait for what we'll learn today!"

He then turned his lone eye to Hidan.

"E-Eh? Is he really that tired?"

Hidan was blissfully asleep and Sakura and Naruto were splitting his food amongst the people at the table.

"He's a bit of an insomniac, dattebayo." Naruto answered, "He gets to fall asleep in the day, though. Oi, teme, want his fried tofu?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"I'm full, dobe."

Sakura took the bread on Hidan's plate and slipped it into his pocket, knowing he'd be starving later. The bell rang in tent shortly after, gathering a chorus of agitated moans in reply.

::

A man in a navy blue cloak traveled into The Temple of the Oracle, situated deep in the rocky terrain in the border between the Kingdom of Fire and the Kingdom of Sound. He pushed open the doors of the temple and met an incredibly large room filled with old scrolls and books. There was a large desk in the center of it all. On it was a crystal ball, a feng shui compass, a star map, tarot cards, and a golden bowl with fire burning in it. A grand orange and red bird sat on a perch beside the desk, eyeing the newcomer curiously.

"So you've come again, four-eyes." a voice echoed. The man sighed and pulled down the hood of his cloak.

"It's not four-eyes, it's Kabuto. Emperor Danzo would like to know if the war will end in his favor."

A pale man dressed in all black appeared in the seat behind the desk, leaning back leisurely in his chair. He was the giver of the prophecies and the only one who knew what would happen in the future. He swore his allegiance to no one and offered his services to anyone who journeyed into his Temple. The Oracle looked to the Phoenix to his right.

"Ino, please retrieve me the Prophecy of the Red Moon."

Ino inclined her head and spread enormous wings. She flew to the shelves near the ceiling, grabbed a fairly worn scroll, and made her way down. Before the bird touched the ground, she transformed into a beautful, blonde-haired woman dressed in an orange silk kimono.

"Here you are, Sai."

Sai took the scroll and spread it out for Kabuto to see.

"A warrior rises from the least likely of places, but as of right now, holds two separate faces. They will be Sound's utmost demise, even when wearing the most ingenious guise. You can stop this, however, though not in large numbers. You need them to fall by bestowing eternal slumber. But be warned, Royal Advisor, they can be broken out of that sleep- by the affection of someone that loves them tender and deep. If that happens, it's over, and the warrior will charge with valor. In their heart will be hope, and in their right hand, _Excalibur_."

Kabuto took a step backwards. Excalibur?! That was the infamous name of the Sword in the Stone. It laid in the chambers of the eight-headed monster, Orochimaru. Everyone who had tried to take Excalibur had either been killed by Orochimaru without reaching the sword, or have reached the sword, but haven't been able to pull it out. Either way, death was imminent.

"What is the warrior's name?" Kabuto asked. Sai shook his head.

"I can only tell a prophecy in the riddle they are given. The interpretation is for you to discover, as I cannot unravel all the secrets of the future to you."

The Royal Advisor pushed up his glasses.

"I understand. I will try to find this warrior as quickly as I can and he will be brought down."

Kabuto bowed in respect before flipping up his hood and leaving the temple. Sai's lips quirked up with amusement when his visitor had left.

"Oh... I never said that warrior was a 'he'."

Ino swatted the back of his head.

"You're getting weird again, Sai."

::

All of the soldiers were gathered just outside the camp. Itachi was shirtless and looking over the recruits with a cold eye.

"We will begin hand to hand combat. Fight as best as you can and as hard as you can until someone is downed, then start over. Find a partner and begin."

Sakura turned to look for a partner.

"Except you, Seiichi. You will be fighting the Lieutenant."

She turned to look at Sasori's half-lidded brown eyes. He smirked at her stunned face and readied himself. Sakura gulped.

Twenty kicks, seventeen punches, thirty-four blocks, eight dodges, and one over-the-shoulder flip later, Sasori was pinned in a headlock on the ground. He can say that he is immensely irritated by the fact he had been beaten by a newbie over the course of five minutes.

"Alright, you win. Get off me." he growled. Sakura released him and helped him up to his feet. Sasori dusted himself and turned to the teenager, "You have the underground edge with your fighting. I'm impressed."

Her eyes brightened up at his words.

"The underground? You've seen the fights?" she questioned excitedly. The stood in front of each other, preparing themselves for the second round. Sasori smirked.

"I was a street rat as a young boy. My parents got caught in the middle of a street fight and were killed in the crossfire. I was picked up by a crew of fighters called the Puppet Brigade and fought under the stage name _Puppetmaster_." he said. He aimed a sidekick to her stomach, but she rolled away and aimed an elbow to the back of his head.

"_Puppetmaster_? Holy shit, Lieutenant, you never told me that you were a legend!"

"So much for being a legend. It's either kids are getting stronger or I'm just getting older."

"I think it may be the latter."

"Watch that tongue, boy. I may be old, but I'm young enough to wipe the floor with you if I'm up to it."

Sakura thought Sasori was pretty cool on the first day she got there, but how he was right now really took the cake. It wasn't often that she had been able to meet a veteran of the underground, a legend nonetheless. After an hour of sparring, the soldiers were instructed to run three laps around the campsite again.

Sasori and Itachi in one of the large tents, looking down at a map of the world that was flattened and covered with numerous dots and x's.

"I'm surprised, General. Seiichi didn't try to pick a fight with you this training session and you did nothing to provoke him. Has everything between the both of you been settled?" Sasori questioned. Itachi looked up.

"Of course not. I was merely observing his fighting style and the way you lost nearly everytime. Care to explain how a new recruit bested a Lieutenant?"

Sasori scowled.

"It turns out he's a rogue. He doesn't look like much, having such a small form, but he knows how to pack a punch." Sasori informed. Confusion grew in the depths of Itachi's eyes.

"A... rogue?" he questioned, the unfamiliar word rolling off his tongue.

"Oh, I forgot that you were a noble." the redhead sighed, "A rogue is basically someone that participates in street fights in underground arenas. There are arenas all over the Kingdom of Fire and competitions are on constantly. For example, there are about five arenas in Sunagakure alone and... seven in Konohagakure, I believe."

Itachi had never heard of such a thing until this day. Sasori walked out of the tent to send a messenger bird to Emperor Sarutobi. The Uchiha walked out as well to see if any of the soldiers had finished their run. When no one showed, he let his mind wander.

Were nobles really that ignorant of the world of normal civilians?

::

Fifty minutes later, Naruto showed up inside the camp. Five minutes after him came Hidan, then Sakura and Sasuke. It was lunchtime and the four headed to the mess hall. The others flowed in at a leisurely pace, Chouji being the very last person to arrive. Shikamaru had gotten the pudgy boy's food in advance and made sure to put extra meat in his ramen.

"Seiichi-kun! Seiichi-kun! I just remembered, did you hear that really loud howl last night?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Howl? I can't say that I have."

"It was real fucking loud. Sounded like it was in the forest right outside the camp. Shit Sa-Seiichi, were you deaf? Seriously." Hidan said. He mentally cursed himself for almost slipping up the name.

"You know I'm a heavy sleeper."

"Fucking still! That howl was the loudest shit I've ever heard."

"It also started something troublesome. There's a rumor going around the camp saying that there's a monster in the woods. No one wants to go out and check, though."

Naruto was too busy savoring the delicious miso ramen to pay attention to the conversation. An idea popped into Sasuke's head as his eyes slid over to the short sixteen year old.

"Why don't you go check it out, Seiichi?" Sasuke suggested, "That is, unless you're afraid."

Sakura glared at his damn, smirking face.

"I'm not afraid. Hell, I'll do it later today! What are the stakes?" she growled. The bet was set and they spit in their hands and shook on it to seal the deal. Tobi looked back and forth between them nervously.

"Um... y-you guys, I don't think this is a good idea..."

"Don't worry about it, Tobi." Sakura assured, "There won't be anything in those woods. I'll be there for half an hour and come out unscathed,"

Shikamaru sighed.

"Troublesome."


	4. The Howl in the Woods

Due to the General having to meet up with an officer in a town a few hours away, the Lieutenant was in charge until he got back. The soldiers waited quietly, albeit nervously for his commands. It was right after lunch and they were all looking at Sasori expectantly.

"You're free to do whatever you please the rest of the day." he said nonchalantly. The soldiers were stunned.

" U-Um... sir?" someone inquired from the back, "What do you mean by that exactly?"

"The afternoon belongs to you. You can go fishing, sleep, take a walk- I don't care. The only thing you need to remember is to be back in the camp before nightfall. Now scat."

The group dispersed and Sakura walked to the gate where her friends were waiting.

"Maybe you should reconsider doing this. Seiichi." Shikamaru suggested. Sakura waved him off with a confident grin.

"You guys are worrying over nothing. I'll be in there an hour and come back fine, you'll see." she said. She turned to Sasuke. "Then _you'll_ have to live up to your end of the bet."

Five of them watched with worry as she walked into the dark forest with her red cloak, and the sixth was starting to regret giving the challenge.

The afternoon sun's rays didn't reach down on the forest floor, yet the deeper you went in, the more things began to glow. The mossy ground lit up around her feet every time she took a step, and fireflies buzzed around despite it still being day. Not that you could tell from within the forest. Crickets chirped lazily and frogs croaked every now and then.

"Now... for the thing that howled last night..." she muttered. Sakura continued on walking in the forest. It was nice, quiet, and more serene than anything. A twig snapped behind her.

The forest was hushed into silence and all the fireflies had disappeared, leaving Sakura in darkness.

"**Little Red... Little Red... why in the world would you walk into this forest all alone?**" a voice questioned. "**Has no one told you how many foolish humans have died because they have stepped foot in my Lord's territory?**"

She looked around her and saw nothing but the trees.

"I apologize. I wasn't aware, but I will leave right away if that is what you want." she answered. She saw a blur of silver in the corner of her eye, but it was gone as quick as it came.

"**What I want? What I want is to continue my nap, but I know that I cannot. It should be my duty to kill you.**" the voice replied, "**But... You do not smell of fear nor arrogance like those before you. I may spare your life if you give me a reason why I should let you live.**"

"Honestly... You have all the right to kill me. You said before that this is your master's land and it is entirely my fault for being here. I didn't mean to intrude, I just need to stay here an hour before going back to the battle camp." Sakura answered truthfully.

"**Little Red... are you not afraid to die?**"

She shrugged.

"As a child, I've stared at death in the face far more times than you would believe. Eventually, I stopped being frightened and would find a way to evade, much to my luck. But that was a time before I had a mother and a brother."

There was silence before Sakura felt something behind her. She turned around slowly and saw an enormous silver wolf towering over her. His eyes were black and gazed down at her softly, much to her surprise.

"**Very well, Little Red. You will live for now, but I will tell my master that you have stepped foot in these woods. Be back tonight when this day becomes the next, and your fate will be decided then. Come alone. If you do not show, there will be dire consequences on behalf of my Lord, not myself.**" he said. The large wolf disappeared before her very eyes and she took a few seconds to herself. The fireflies came back into view, and the crickets and frogs restarted their soothing songs.

Sakura retreated back the path and out into the diminishing sunlight where the six of her friends gathered around her.

"Safe? Unharmed? Unafraid? HAHAHA! Teme, you lost the bet, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed. "Let's go, let's go, let's go! I wanna see you do it once everyone comes back!"

The others were ushered ahead, leaving Hidan with Sakura. Once he saw the frown lines in her forehead, he knew something was wrong.

"What happened in there, Sakura?" he questioned softly.

"Seiichi." she corrected, her lips tilting upward, "I'm completely fine, really. Now come on, I want to see Sasuke live up to what he owes me."

She grabbed his arm and tugged him to the camp where the soldiers had gathered around Sasuke who apparently had an announcement. Unknown to them, the Itachi and Sasori were watching from inside one of the large tents. Sasuke took a deep breath and, in a very loud voice and straight face, stated-

"Sometimes at night, I get lonely, and I pretend my weapons have feelings and I have a deep conversation with them. Also, if you tickle me, I giggle like a little girl and will dance around like a unicorn doing the chacha with really big lollipop in the shape of a dick."

It took a few moments for everyone to digest what just happened before the camp swelled with laughter at the most random thing they have ever heard. Sasori snickered quietly and Itachi watched the scene unfold with a quirk to his lips.

"Looks like he lost the bet after all." Sasori mused. The General looked over to his Lieutenant.

"This was the aftermath of a bet?" Itachi asked. The redhead nodded, his face still plastered with amusement.

"Sasuke bet that Seiichi wouldn't last half an hour in the woods just outside the camp." he explained. Itachi's ears perked up at this as his eyes narrowed, "Seiichi came out unscathed, and this is what he had to do as a result of that."

Smoldering black eyes glued themselves on the form of pink haired soldier who was laughing along with the others. From what he could see, the boy truly had no injuries. He himself had been told never to journey into that particular forest for those who went in never came out. And those who had managed to escape died within the hour due to heavily sustained wounds. Suspicion was slowly crawling through and the same question he thought a month ago had resurfaced.

Who in the world was Seiichi Haruno?

Dinner was as lively as usual, and the table at the northern corner had it's usual occupants who were sharing a hearty laugh.

"That was the best fucking thing ever!" Hidan crowed. Sasuke shot him a menacing glare then continued to sulk quietly. Naruto stretched his arms over his head with a happy sigh.

"Man, all this fun makes me want sata andagi." he pouted. Hidan and Sakura agreed with him, but the others sent them confused gazes.

"What's sata andagi?" Tobi questioned. Naruto gaped at him and stood from his seat.

"You... You've never had sata andagi?"

"No...?"

"You haven't lived, dattebayo!"

Sakura forced Naruto to sit back down.

"Sata andagi is deep fried dough, basically. There's flour, eggs, and sugar, and even though it's simple, it's one of the best desserts you could have." she explained.

"That's sold downtown, right?" Chouji asked. She nodded and they witled.

"I guess that can explain it, then." he continued, "We're nobles- we've never stepped foot downtown. When we get out of this war, you think you could take us around to see downtown? Maybe?"

Sakura smiled.

"Of course we can!"

Dinner was continued on that pleasant note. Afterwards, they were sent just outside the camp where twenty targets were lined up side by side. The soldiers were ushered into lines a hundred yards away, and the first person in each line was given a bow. Itachi stood before them, impassive as ever.

"Six arrows must be placed in the center so you may be able to take your leave." he informed curtly.

_Thud._

_Thud._

_Thud._

_Thud._

_Thud._

_Thud._

Everyone's heads swiveled to the third row from the left to see six arrows clustered in the red dot on the center of one of the targets. Quiet chuckles rippled through the men as Itachi's eye twitched with annoyance.

"I finished. I can go now, right?" Sakura questioned innocently. The General managed to push down an irritated sigh and gave the 'boy' a pointed stare.

"Tend to the horses in the field, round them up, and put them back in their stables at the camp." he ordered. With a cheeky grin and mocking eyes, Sakura saluted and walked away. Sasori smirked.

"He's getting the better of you."

"Be silent."

::

Sakura fed Katsuyu a carrot and stroked her silky black mane. A white horse nudged her from the back. She chuckled and fed Yashiro, Itachi's horse, a carrot as well.

"Seiichi. A word."

She turned around and saw Itachi walk up to her with hard eyes. She gave him a lazy salute before turning back to the horses.

"What do you need, General? I've got the horses no problem, but if you have some issue with it you can go shove it up y-"

"Were you in the forest earlier?" he asked.

"Well, you see-"

He spun her around and took a step forward. Their noses almost touched as he glared harshly her way.

"A yes or no question. Where you in the forest or not?" he hissed.

"Yes sir. I was." she answered mildly.

"Never go in there again. That is an order."

Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Wha-"

"Do not question the orders I give, _soldier_. Do not set foot in those woods or you will be punished." he growled. Sakura watched him go with confusion. Once he disappeared from the horse's grazing fields, she grinned.

"Oh but General, I have a tendency of not listening to you!" she called out. Ten minutes from midnight, Sakura's head poked out of her tent and she looked around. Nobody was around. Silently, she stepped out and adjusted her sword at her side. She looked around once more before pacing out of the camp and into the forest.

Unlike the last time she entered, the fireflies weren't buzzing about and the creatures weren't singing to their hearts content. It was deathly silent, and the phosphorescent moss gave the only light in the pitch black forest. Suddenly, the large silver wolf appeared before her.

"**My master has decided what to do with you. His orders surprise me, but I will follow without hesitation.**" he informed lightly. "**He wasn't too thrilled that you have wandered into his forest, but he thinks you could be of use to him. My Lord is not asking for much- just a small removal.**"

"Removal?" Sakura echoed. The wolf nodded.

"**Removal. Years back, humans came into this forest and slaughtered many creatures, including my kind. Then then built a tower laced with magic, put a young human and an older one inside, and sealed off the doors. Little woodland animals visit them often and bring them food, seeing as he cannot escape the tower on his own, but creatures like me cannot approach it due to it's magic repellant, which is where you come in. If you take him away from here, you may return to this forest for as long as you please.**"

Sakura considered this. This Lord, whoever he was, wasn't asking for much. And hey, you couldn't have too many allies, could you?

"What exactly is 'your kind'?" she questioned out of the blue.

"**Skin changers. My species consists of wolves and dogs who are able to turn human, though most of us prefer our normal forms. Now that you know, will you do my Lord's bidding?**"

His eyes were strangely hopeful, and she sighed.

"Why not? But if I am to do this, can I at least have your name?"

The wolf sat back on his haunches.

"**Kakashi Hatake, Little Red.**"


End file.
